The Fable of Elise
by paradox8
Summary: His choice had been made long before that dreadful morning inside Logan's throne room. The villagers' fate was sealed long ago, because at some point in his life, Elise became the one person he needed to become the Hero that Albion needs.


_**Author's Note:**_ _Let me just say that I absolutely love Fable 3, even though I do have to fight the urge to be cruel to chickens, because how can one not be tempted to kick them? They're begging to be kicked. Sorry, chickens. Anyway, for my first few iterations playing this game, Elise always ended up on the chopping block and my hero was always the bedrock of morality in Albion. Until I played with a seven-year-old watching over my shoulder, and he insisted: "I don't want to kill my wife." So the villagers ended up dead, and for the first time, I discovered that the hero can actually end up with Elise. And now, I can't get this pairing out of my head. I guess my need to have a full story in my head as some sort of foundation for their "Lost Romance" is what prompted me to write this, so here goes. This is just me having fun with a game pairing that I sometimes love, I sometimes hate. Still, I find myself drawn to the Hero (Alduin, in this fanfic) and Elise, because… as good and pure and noble as she is, she's the one reason my Hero ends up doing stuff that taints his morality, because… He just can't let her go. And this is the story why…_

-oiOio-

"You have insulted this maiden's honour!"

Elise's long blonde locks whipped through the air when she turned to find out who had said the words. Part of her hoped it would be Logan. He'd be strong enough to get rid of this idiot. Her heart sank. It was Logan's little brother. She'd seen him lurking around before. _What was his name again?_

The kid was holding out a wooden sword pointed at Percy. _Cute, but what's he gonna do? Percy could break that sword in half._

"Go away, little prince." Percy snickered, his hands still firmly gripping her shoulders. He flicked his brows at her. "Come on, Elise. Just one."

She groaned. The idea of his puckered lips touching her made her shudder.

"I said let go of her!"

"Or you'll do what, Alduin?" Percy rolled his eyes. "Run off and tell Logan?"

Before Elise could comprehend what was going on, the flat side of Alduin's wooden sword hit Percy square on the cheek.

"I'm going to kill you!" Percy's glare screamed blood. Elise fully expected the smaller boy to back down, but Alduin stood his ground even as the larger, older kid lunged for him.

Before she could keep Percy away, he'd already landed a jab through Alduin's jaw. The kid's neck twisted to the side so fast and so powerfully, Elise was surprised it didn't break.

"What's wrong with you, Percy?" Elise threw herself at the older boy's back, trying to get him off of the prince. "Do you want to receive a whipping? He's the king's son!"

"Not the one that matters." Percy elbowed her off his back.

She yelped when her body hit the ground.

"What is going on here?!"

At the voice, Percy immediately snapped to attention, standing straight on his feet. There was no mistaking Logan's voice. So firm. So full of authority.

"Your highness, we were just goofing around," Percy mumbled.

Elise sat up to find Alduin already on his feet, blood on his mouth.

"What happened, Alduin?" Logan asked, ignoring Percy.

Alduin glanced over at Elise, who genuinely feared for Percy's safety. She wondered if he was going to rat him out. She couldn't blame him if he did.

"Percy was teaching me how to fight," Alduin explained. "Just got a little too rough."

Logan's brow rose in question. "Elise?" He looked her over. "Is this true?"

Elise's cheeks flushed red. _He knows my name?!_ She nodded feebly.

"You should've told me you wanted to learn how to fight, Alduin," Logan addressed his brother. "Better for you to learn it from Walter. All you'll learn from Percy is how to brawl."

Percy hung his head low.

"Let's go, Percy. You'll have plenty of time to be with your betrothed in the future."

Elise's stomach churned at the reminder. She'd only been seven years old, and Percy thirteen, when his parents struck a marriage arrangement with her father. She was twelve now, and it seemed there was little she could do to escape becoming Percy's wife someday.

As the two teenagers – both eighteen – faded into the castle, she glanced Alduin's way.

"That was brave of you. I don't think we've met before. I'm –"

"Elise. I know. Are you really going to marry him someday?"

"I don't think I have a choice."

"There's always a choice." He dropped his wooden sword on the ground, almost as if he decided to stop being a child right then and there.

"Do you need help with that cut on your lip?" she asked. "I was afraid he was going to kill you. You really shouldn't pick fights you couldn't win."

"Who said I couldn't win?"

"I guess arrogance runs in the family."

"I'm the son of the king too, Elise. Of the lineage of heroes. Someday, I'll be taller, stronger, older. And someday, I will find a way to marry you. You don't belong with him. You belong with me."

It was a twelve-year-old's promise – one Elise thought little of. After all, Alduin wasn't the prince that she wanted. Logan was.

And then, one day, everything in her world turned upside down. It was the day her fate and Alduin's became eternally intertwined.


End file.
